Folding box.



No. 805,234. PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905.

G. B. RUTLEDGE.

\ FOLDING BOX.

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C. B. RUTLEDGE.

FOLDING BOX.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' Afro/Mrs UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed November 19, 1904. Serial No. 233,481.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES BUFORD RUT- LEDGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Tullahoma, in the county of Goffee and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and Improved Folding Box, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to folding boxes, popularly called knocked-down boxes. It is intended to be especially useful as a receptacle for articles of any kind and is capable of being folded up into a compact body, which can be quickly opened out into'the form of a box. The box should be especially useful for grocers, druggists, 0r confectioners for various purposes.

The object of the invention is to produce a box of simple construction especiallyadapted for the purpose set forth above.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a plan of the blank from which the box would be formed. Fig. 2 is a perspective representing the box in an advanced stage of its formation from the blank. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken vertically through the completed box. This section is taken substantially upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the completed box, taken in a vertical plane substantially upon the line 4 4 of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 isa horizontal section taken through the box, as at 5 5 in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a perspective representing. the box in an unnatural open relation, so as to illustrate the construction of the same; and Fig. 7 is a plan of the box represented as folded up compactly, as it would be when not in use.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents a blank from which the box is to be formed. The body 2 of this blank consists of an elongated expanse of material having parallel opposite edges and divided by transverse score-lines 3 into panels 4, 5, 6, and 7. The panels 4 and 6 constitute the forward and rearward sides of the box when completed. and the panels5 and7constitute the end walls. The panel 4 is formed integrally with a panel 8, which latter panel will constitute the cover of the box when formed, and this panel is separated from the panel 4 by a score-line 9. This score-line constitutes a portion of the edge of the body 2 of the blank, as indicated in Fig. 1. Near its outer edge the panel 8 is scored across and is adapted to be folded so as to form a wing 10, the edge of which may be ornamental, as indicated. It should be noted that the line 9 of the panel 4 will constitute the upper edge of one side of the box when completely formed. Beyond the edge 11, which lies opposite the edge 9, the panel is formed with an extension 12. This extension has an edge 13, which is disposed substantially at right angles to the edge 11 and to the line of union between the panels 4 and 5. The extension is substantially triangular in form; but its remaining free edge is preferably formed upon a curve or are 14.

Upon the edge 15 of the panel 6, corresponding to the edge 11 of the panel 4, an extension 16 is formed, which is substantially similar in outline to the extension 12, just described. V The extension 16, like the extension 12, has an edge 17 disposed substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the blank 2 and extends from the side of the blank at the line of connection between the panels 6 and 7. At this point it should be stated that the extensions 12 and 16 are adapted to fold together to form the bottom of the box. To this end the panel 16 is preferably provided in its curved edge 18 with a slit or cut 19, the said slit being preferably formed with an enlarged mouth 20, which facilitates the forming of the box, as will appear more fully hereinafter. The extensions 12 and. 16 are formed with score-lines 21 and 22, respectively, and these score-lines extend from the points 23 and 24, where the edges 13 and 17 meet the score-lines 11 and 15. These score-lines are for the purpose of enabling the extensions 12 and 16 to be folded upon themselves.

The edges 25 of the panels 5 and 7 which will constitute the lower edges of the end wall of the box when formed, are provided with tabs 26, preferably of the form shown, which are adapted to fold upon the edges 25, as will be readily understood. The edges opposite the edges 25 are preferably formed with loose flaps 27, which will be disposed at the upper edges of the box when formed, as will be readily understood. 1

At the outer end of the panel 4 a tab 28 is provided, the purpose of which will appear more fully hereinafter.

In Fig. 6 the box is represented in an unnatural open position. The panels are here shown in the relation which they are made to assume by securing the edges 13 and 17 to flat against each other.

the edges of the panels 5 and 7. In order to effect such connection, the tabs 26 are folded upwardly, and their under faces are preferably glued or pasted to the upper faces of the extensions 12 and 16. After the ex tensions 12 and 16, which will constitute the bottom, are attached to the end panels in this manner the box will be complete enough to enable the same to be readily folded together to form a finished box. In forming the completed box the outer portions of the structure (shown in Fig. 6) will be folded inwardly in the directionof the arrows until the edge 140i the extension 12 is received in the slit 19.

In Fig. 2 this process of folding the box into complete form is fully illustrated. In Fig. 5 the plan of the box-bottom in completed form is very clearly shown. Although in this view the score-lines 21 and 22 appear, it should be understood that the extensions 12 and 16, which constitute the bottom, lie substantially When the parts of the box are made to assume the relations indicated in Figs. 2 and 5, the tab 28 may be secured in any manner to the free edge 29 of the panel 7. When the tab 28 has been attached in this manner, evidently the box will maintain itself in box form. The cover-panel 8 may be folded down so as to form a substantial closure for the open side or top of the box, and the wing 10 may be tucked down within the upper edge of the forward wall of the box, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 4.

The score-lines 21 and 22 are useful because they enable the box to be folded up into a compact form, such as that indicated in Fig. 7, in which form it is especially adapted to be shipped or stored for future use. The scoresive substance, evidently the box may be made of various materialsfor instance, made of metal, so as to make it more durable-and suitable joints could be formed at the folding edges.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A folding box consisting of four panels attached together at their vertical edges, one of said panels having a flap constituting a cover for said box, said panels being connected in pairs at their lower edges by extensions folding on lines passing from a pair of said vertical edges, said extensions being adapted to fold up on said folding-lines into the space between the panels they respectively connect and normally overlapping to constitute a bottom for said box, one of said extensions having a slit in the edge thereof receiving the opposite edge of the other of said extensions. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES BUFORl) RUTLEDGE.

Witnesses:

ERLE MARTIN, THOMAS E. RICHARDSON. 

